How to Teach Your Kids About the Brain


June 16, 2018


Quote of the Week

"Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent to throw it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." -- Buddha

How To Teach Your Kids About The Brain

“When children understand what’s happening in the brain, it can be the first step to having the power to make choices. Knowledge can be equally powerful to parents too. Knowing how the brain works means we can also understand how to respond when our children need our help.

Sometimes our brains can become overwhelmed with feelings of fear, sadness or anger, and when this happens, it’s confusing—especially to children. So giving children ways to make sense of what’s happening in their brain is important. It’s also helpful for children to have a vocabulary for their emotional experiences that others can understand. Think of it like a foreign language, and if the other people in your family speak that language too, then it’s easier to communicate with them.

So how do you start these conversations with your children, make it playful enough to keep them engaged, and simple enough for them to understand?”  [read more]

Reading Corner

Title: The Day My Brain Went Crazy
By: Michelle Karavas
Ages: 4-8

Why?  "This book shares the story of 8-year-old Jake and what happens when his mind isn't doing what he wants it to all the time. It provides a wonderful way to speak to kids about anger and teaches them about what tools they can use to cope with their anger and overcome it. When I shared it with our two daughters (ages 4 and 7), they were immediately inspired to reflect on what helps them to calm down when they get angry. They wanted to make their own calm charts and put them up in their rooms to serve as reminders on a daily basis."

Be the Change

Talk to your kids about what helps them to calm down when they get angry.  Encourage them to make their own calm chart to serve as a simple reminder when they get worked up about something and want to overcome their own anger. Visit this article for initial ideas if your kids need a bit of support to get them started.